Panel board



July 7, 1925.

R. B. BENJAMIN PANEL BOARD Filed June 14, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,Iitven'tbr .fl'btorn y R. B. BENJAMIN July 7, 1925.

PANEL BOARD Filed June 14. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qua/if],

Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES REUBEN BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNO'R TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PANEL BOARD.

Application filed June 14, 1920. Serial No. 388,828.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN 18. Theme- MIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of. Illinois, have invented new and useful IIDPIOVBIHQDtS in Panel Boards, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to panel-boards and containers for the same, having particular relation to devices, of the character designated, adapted for use in residences other small buildings, and has for its obyct to provide a panel-board which shall be composed of interchangeable and standard base sections and. which shall embody a minimum number of parts in its construction.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a panel-board and container embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational, sectional View taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of an interchangeable, standard base member employed in my invention.

One object of my invention is to provide an insulating base section which shall have receptacles and switching means together with busbars so associated therewith, that a number of said sections may be embodied in a panel-board and thereby provide for a derivation of any desired number, within limits, of branch circuits from said board. In the attainment of this object I so construct the elements employed and so embody them in the base sections that a minimum number of parts is necessary. 1

Another object of my invention is to provide a cap portion for the aforesaid base section which is apertured to receive the receptacles and other devices mounted upon the base section in such manner that a deadfront panel-board is constituted, although easy access may be had to said receptacles, as well as to whatever switching means may be associated with said base.

A still further object of my invention is to so form the interfitting-base and cap portions of the panel-board and to so position the same within a hinged-cover casing that an ample wiring gutter is formed between under the closure member 4 are the insulating base and cap portions and the outer portions of said casing.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a panel-board casing comprises a dish portion 1 provided with a flanged edge 2, to which is. secured a cover 3, the latter having an apertured portion which is adapted to be closed by a hinged member 4. Disposed within the casing and substantially base and cap members 5 and 6 respectively, comprising together, with their associated devices, a dead-front panel-board. The cap member 6 has formed integrally therewith a peripheral barrier 7 which extends upwardly to meet the cover 3 of the casing in such manner that it assists in forming a wiring gutter 8 between the outer dish portion of the casing and the panel board proper.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the insulating base 5 has associated therewith bus-bars 9, 10 and 11 which are notched, as shown, to cooperate with interfitting screws 12, whereby any desired number of base sections may be electrically connected. As illustrated, two branch circuits 13 and 14 are derived from the base section 5, and receptacles whereby fuses may be positioned in each lead of each circuit are also associated with said base.

Receptacles 15 and 16, each comprising center contacts 17 and shell contacts 18, are associated with what may be assumed to be return leads 19 and 20 of the circuits 13 and 14 respectively. Receptacles 2121, each comprising center contacts 22 and shell contacts 23, are associated with the other leads 24 and 25 of the circuits 13 and 14, respectively.

It will be observed that the center contacts 17-17 of the receptacles associated with the bus-bar 10 are formed integrally with the latter. The center contacts 22-22 of the receptacles associated with the outside bus-bars 9 and 11 comprise integral portions of conducting members 26, the other ends of which are struck upwardly to constitute poles 27-27 for switching means 28. The latter comprises conducting engaging clips 29 and 30 which are electrically connected at one end,and which are placed in and out of contact with the pole 27 and another pole 31 by means of an insulating handle member 82. The latter may be moved in a spe cially formed slot in the cap portion 6 as receptacles havin shown, whereby when the latteris interfitted with the insulating base 5 no live arts of the switch are accessible. The po e 31 comprises an integral portion of a conducting member 33 which is connected to the bus-bar 11. The cap 6 is, of course, apertured to receive the shell contacts and receptacles, as shown, and the apertures are so formed therein that a dead-front panelboard is formed. Moreover, theintegral barrier 7 meets the cover3 of the casing in such manner that a wiring gutter is formed in said casing. y

In order to identify the related circuits and switches I find it advantageous to place designating means on the top of the cap portion as shown at 34, whereby the various branch circuits and their associated switches may be identified. A consideration of Fig. 1 will illustrate the neat and compact manner in which a device embodying my invention may be constructed, the manner in which the cap portion is apertured to receive the rece tacles and the branch circuit switches be ng clearly shown therein.

While I have illustrated one cap portion as functioning with two base sections it is obvious that it is not always necessary for this relation to hold. Where a number of base sections are employed it may be found advantageous to make standard caps therefor and to supply additional cap portions havin barriers so formed that a composite panelcard in which the barrier 7 W111 be peripherally continuous may be built up of a number of base sections and a number of ca rtions.

ile I have shown but one embodiment of my invention it is apparent that many modifications therein may occur to those skilled in the art and I desire, therefore, that my invention be liinited only by the .showing of the prior art or by the scope'of the appended claims.

Havin .thus described my invention, what I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r 1. In a panel-board, interchangeable insulating bases, buses associated therewith, receptacles mounted thereu on, some of said as their center contacts portions of one 0 said buses, and the center contacts of the other rece tacles being connected to the other busest rough elements;

2. In a panel-board, interchangeable insulating bases, buses associatedtherewith, receptacles mounted thereupon, some of said receptacles havin as their center contact portlons of one 0 said buses, switches likewise mounted on said base, and means constituting the center contacts of the other receptacles and one pole of said switches.

3. In a panel-board, interchangeble insulating bases, buses associated therewith, re-

other buses being connected to. the other receptacles through switches, and means including wiring terminals for permitting the connection'of the shell contacts of said receptacles to branch circuits, as desired.

5. In' a panel-board, interchangeable insulating bases, substantially parallel buses arranged. medially thereof, receptacles having center and shell contacts mounted on said bases, portions of one of said buses forming the center contacts of some of said receptacles and the other buses being connected to the other receptacles through switches, and an insulating cap apertured to receive said receptacles and said switches, the base and cap bein so formed and so int'ei'fitting that channe mit of the connection of said shell contacts to branch circuits, as desired.

6. In a panel-board, interchan ble insulating bases, substantially parael buses arranged medially thereof, receptacles having center and shell contacts mounted on said bases; the central bus providing center contacts 'for certain of said receptacles, others 'of said receptacles being adapted for connection to the outside buses, and switches mounted on said base for connecting said outside buses to the center contacts of the ap ropriate rece tacles.

In a panelard, interchan ble insulating bases substantially para lel buses arranged medially-thereof, receptacles having center contacts and shell contacts mounted on said bases, the central bus being formed to rovide center contacts for certain of said receptacles, others of said receptacles being adapted for connection to the outside buses, switches mounted on said bases for connecting said outside buses to the center contacts of the correct receptacles, integral members constituting the center contacts of said outside receptacles and one pole of said switches, and integral members contactin with said outside buses and forming t e other pole of said switches.

8. An interchan able panel-board section adapted for the erivation of two branch circuits therefrom comprising an insulatitlgfi base, substantially parallel buses associa with said base, two receptacles associated are formed to per- I brunch circuits there associate with the middle lous, portions or" the latter being shaped to form center contacts for said receptacles, two receptacles, one adapted to be associated with each of the outside buses, and switch s to connect said. letter receptacles to their associated buses.

9. An interchanges-isle panel-board section adapted for the derivation of two comprisin an insulatin louse, substantially parsilel. uses with said base, two receotecles associated with the middle bus, portions of the latter being shaped to form cen'ser con tacts for said receptacles, two receptacles, one adapted to be associated with each of the outside buses, switches to connect said latter receptacles to their associated buses, integral ineinloers constituting the center contacts of each of the outside receptacles and one pole of said switches, and conducting members secured to each of outside enses and provided with a portion constitoting the other pole of said switches,

10. An interchangeable panel-hoard section, adapted for the derivation of two branch circuits therefrom comprising an insulatin base, substantialiy parallel buses associated with said loose, two receptacles associated with the middle bus, portions of the latter being shaped to form center contacts for said receptacles, two receptacles, one adapted to be associated with escli oi the outside buses, switches to connect letter receptaclestc their associated buses, integral members constituting the center contacts of 3 each of the outside receptacles and one pole of said switches, conducting members se cured to each of the outside buses and provided with a portion constituting the other pole of said switches, and an insulating cap 4 to receive said receptacles and recessed to provide a protective covering for sawi switch, operation 01 the latter being permitted when said cap is in normal position,

whereloy a dead-front interchangeable panel 45 section is formed.

11. An interchangeable panel board section adapted for the derivation of two branch circuits therefrom comprising an insule'ting bese, tliree substantially parallel bus-bars associated with said base, receptacles positioned over and connected to the middle one of said bars, receptacles positioned over and adapted to loe connected to each of the outside of said lcars, switches 55 also positioned over and connected to outside liars whereby said connection of the last named receptacles to their associated loars may be effected, and means forming channels extending between the switches and 69 REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. 

